Pink Slime: 11 Facts You Don’t Know About the American Meat Supply

Not since 3rd grade art class have the words “pink slime” been heard so often in everyday conversation. In mere weeks, thanks in no small part to TV food star Jamie Oliver, it seems like moms, lobbyists, educators, writers and bloggers are all up in arms over “pink slime” and it’s pervasive use in processed ground beef found in –gasp- nearly every grocery store in America. With that being said, here are 11 facts about pink slime, meat and America in no particular order.

The correct name for “pink slime” is “Boneless Lean Beef Trimmings” (BLBT)

The USDA has allowed BLBT use since 1991

Americans eat an average of 61.4 pounds of beef per year per person

Using Ammonia in food processing has been commonplace since the mid-1970s